Aeroplane



- A. S 'RNA April 15, 1930.;

AEROPLANE ile uov. 23, 192'? z snee'Ls-sheet i A. SERNA' April 15, 1930.

'AEROPLANE- Filed Nov 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II .Illllllll amuse Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES ALEX SERNA, OF FOBDSON,.MICHIGAN AEBOPLANE Application filed November 23, 1927. Serial No. 235,223.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and more particularly to a heavier than air flying machine which is constructed to rise vertically and to be propelled forwardly. The present invention is distinguishable from the machine known as a helicopter in that the present machine is not dependent upon the vertical thrust of large propellers to cause the machine to rise from the ground, but is characterized in that a plurality of aerofoils each provided with ropelling means are connected together and arranged to take a circular path of travel, and in so doin lift the machine vertically, after which t e same aerofoils and their propelling means are adjusted to proceed forwardly along parallel lines and are adjustable relatively to maintain lateral balance. The helicopter depends upon vertical thrust of large propellers having an extended areato lift the machine vertically while in the present construction aerofoils are so connected as to proceed along a large circle and each aerofoil is so set as to give it a lifting action and is provided with propelling means for propelling it along such circular path.

An object of the invention is to so arrange and connect aerofoils as to provide a wide span between the same and to provide propelling means whereby such connected aerofoils are caused to travel in a circular path for vertical lift. A further object is to provide each aerofoil with propelling means and to transmit power to each of such propelling means from a power plant located midway between diametrically opposed aerofoils, such power plant providing the load application to the several aerofoils whereby the point of load application to the several aerofoils coincides with. the axis of the circle described by the aerofoils in lifting the machine vertically. A further object is to provide suitable means for setting and controlling the several aerofoils and for controlling the operation of their propellers, the location of such controlling means being within a fuse lage arranged below and depending from the support for the central power plant for driving the several aerofoil propellers, and which fuselage with its usual rudder, provides the and relative thereto in effecting a vertical lift of the machine. A further object is to provide an arrangement whereby-the operator may control the operation of the machine from the non-rotatable fuselage either for vertical or horizontal flight of the machine, and to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a machine illustrative of an embodiment of the invention, and showing parts broken away and in section to more clearly disclose the construction and to shorten the length of the figure;

Fig. .2 is a sectional detail substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail substantially upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail substantially upon the line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same drawn to a reduced scale;

Fig. 7 is aperspective detail of control levers and adjacent parts of the mechanism, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the machine in vertical flight.

In order that the present invention may be operated to ascend vertically from the ground. what may be termed as separate and distinct flying units are employed, each of said units including an nerofoil or wing structure 1 and one or more propellers 2 of the usual type mounted in the usual manner at the leading edge of the wing where one propeller is used or located at both the leading and trailing edges of the wing structure where two propellers are employed as indi cated in the drawings, said propellers being mounted upon the ends of a fore and aft shaft 3 located intermediate the ends of the wing structure and carried in suitable bearings 4 on the wing structure adjacent the ends of the shaft and a suitable bearing member 5 is rovided midway between the forward and trailing edges of the wing structure and which bearing forms a pivotal support for the entire unit, said pivotal support 5 for each unit being mounted for fore and aft pivotal movement upon the upper end of a tubular arm 6, which arms extend laterally and downwardly from each unit to a center load supporting casing or housing 7, said housing being positioned exactly midway between two flying units so that the load will be applied to these units equally in depending relation thereto. A brace rod or strut 8 connects the upper ends of the arms 6 and it is proposed to space the flying units a considerable distance apart by means of the arms 6 which extend radially inward from each unit. so that each of these flying units may act independently of the other or others to fl v in a circular path in the axis of which is located the casing 7 to which the inner ends of the arms are secured, and by properly setting and propelling these flying units. each will exert a vertical lifting force asittravels along its circular path and will thus lift the machine vertically from the ground.

To provide power for driving the several propellers 2. a suitable engine 9 is located within the casing 7 and motion is transmitted from the crank shaft to this engine. in any suitable manner as by chains 10. to the inner ends of shafts 11 extending outwardly within the tubular arms 6 to the outer ends of said arms within which the propeller shafts 3 are mounted. A suitable arrangement of gearing 12 within the hollow outer end of each arm transmits motion from the outer end of each shaft 11 to the propeller shaft 3 and beveled gears 13 on the inner end of each shaft 11 within the casing 7, are engaged by suitable means for driving said shafts. The gear 13 for one of the shafts is adapted to be engaged by either of two pinions 14 arranged to be shifted into mesh therewith by a suitable shifting lever 16 also within the casing. so that the direction of rotation of one of the shafts 11 may be reversed. causing the propellers 2 connected to said shaft. to be rotated in a direction opposite to that of the propellers for the flying unit at the op posite side of the machine. Suitable means is also provided for tilting the wing 1 in a fore and aft direction. which wing is associated with the propellers 2 which are arranged to be rotated in av reverse direction to that of the propellers of the flying unit at the opposite side of the machine. Therefore, when it is desired to rise vertically from the ground, the propellers of the flying unit at one side of the machine are reversed in their direction of rotation and the wing of that unit is tilted in a direction opposite to the inclination of the unit at the other side of the machine, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. This will cause the two flying units to fly along a circular path. the axis of which is the axis of the casing 7 and as the wings of the two units are inclined in opposite directions the vertical thrust on the wings will cause the machine to be lifted from the ground, the flying units describing a vertical spiral path, and as these units are widely separated by the arms 6 which may be fifty or more feet in length as desired, according to the size of the units and the weight to be lifted, each unit functioningas a separate aeroplane to climb in the usual manner along a spiral path.

The pivot bearing member 5 for each wing is mounted upon a pivot 15 extending in a direction longitudinally of the wing and mounted in suitable bearings within the hollow outer end of the tubular arm 6 so that the flying unit comprising the wing 1, propellers 2 and their driving shaft 3, may tilt about the axis of this pivot 15 in a fore and aft direction, and as disclosing means which may be employed for so tilting the unit and holding it in the position to which it is adjusted, a pair of cables 16 and 17 are attached to the bearing member 5 at a lower end portion thereof some distance below the pivot 15 and these cables are run over suitable idlers 18 and downwardly through the arm 6 to the casing 7. The same arrangement of cables for tilting the flying unit at the opposite side of the machine is provided.

The usual form of aeroplane fuselage 19 is provided for the accommodation of the pilot and passengers, this fuselage being pref erably provided with the usual rudder :2 and elevators 21 at its trailing end and if found desirable the forward end of this fuselage may be provided with a motor 22 for driving a tractor propeller 23, but this fuselage is devoid of the usual wing structure. T here are no wings or acrotoils on the fuselage or body of the machine, as shown, but if desired they may be added in accordance with the common aeroplane practice. This fuselage is formed with an upwardly extending tubular member or post 24: which projects upwardly into the lower end of the casing 7 and is provided at its upper end with a lower member :25 of a turntable. the upper member 26 of which is rigidly secured to and forms the base or floor oi. the casing 7 upon which the motor 9 is mounted. A central hollow stud 27 connects the parts and 26 of the turntable and suitable anti-friction rollers 28 are interposed between the peripheries of the two disk parts of the turntable so that the fuselage and easing 7 may rotate independently and freely, the fuselage depending from the casing when the machine is in fli ht and forming a support for the casing an flying units when the machine is at rest. Therefore when the flying units are adjusted for circular flight to raise the machine vertically, the casing and parts carried thereby rotate relative to the fuselage, the fuselage after belng lifted from the ground, maintaining its nonrotative position due to the resistance e of the rudder and tail portion of the fuselage.

To place the machine in condition for vertical flight, the gears 14 are shifted by means of the shifting arm 16 and a pull on the controlling rod 29 by the operator, to change the direction of rotation of the shaft 11 at that side of the machine, and the inclination of the wing at the same side of the machine is simultaneously changed by means of a lever arm 30 connected to the arm 16 for simultaneous movement therewith when the operator pulls upon the control rod 29, this arm 30 being adapted to engage an abutment 31 secured to the cable 17 which will exert a pull on the cable and swing the bearing unit 5 to tilt the wing, the spring 33 yielding to permit of such swinging motion of the lower end of the bearing member 5.

Each run 17 of the controlling cables is rigidly secured as at 34 to an arm 35 carried by a slide 36 mounted upon a suitable guide within the casing 7 The free ends of the arms 35 project into a channel ring 37 which loosely surrounds the tubular member or post 24 on the fuselage. The cables which control the inclination of the wings are thus operatively connected to the ring 37 by means of the arms 35 projecting into the channel of the ring, and therefore by tilting this ring laterally the cables will be operated in oppo site directions and thus tilt the wings relatively in opposite directions to provide for lateral balance of the machine in flight. By moving the ring 37 bodily up or down, an equal pull is exerted on the cables and both wings will be tilted simultaneously in the same direction to provide for ascent or descent of the machine in forward flight, and when the machine has ascended vertically the desired distance it may proceed forwardly in a straight line of flight by adjusting the wings of the two flying units to the same angle and shifting the gears 14 so that the propellers of both units will be rotated in the same direction. and then by locking the two disks 25 and 26 of the turntable together by means of a suitable lock 38, the two flying units are in a position to carry the machine forwardly with its units proceeding along a straight line of flight, with the load suspended therefrom intermediate the two units.

Vithin the "fuselage directly beneath the hollow post 24, is a platform 39 for the support of the aviator and through this platform extends a hand lever 40 and a control stick 41. On the control stick beneath the platform is secured a spider 42 having four radially extending arms and the outer ends of these arms are each connected b a universal joint connection 43, to a continuous cable 44, each of which cables is secured at one point'of their run to the ring 37, as at 45, these cables being each led over idlers 46 secured to the post 24' above the ring 37 and thence'extend downwardly and around idlers 47 near the lower side of the fuselage and beneath the platform 39. Directly below the spider 42, the control stick is provided with a universal joint 48 and the lower end portion 49 of the stick is arranged to slide vertically in a suitable bearing bracket 50. Because of the universal joint 48 the control stick 41 may be swung laterally as desired and in so doing will exert an upward pull on the cable 44 at one side and a downward pull on the cable 44 at the other side. thus tilting the ring 37 laterally and through such tilting motion tilt the wings 1 relatively for lateral balance of the machine. The cables 44 positioned forwardly and rearwardly of the stick hold the ring in the position to which it is adjusted vertically.

If it becomes desirable to adjust both wings simultaneously and to an equal amount in the same direction, as when it is desirable to cause the machine to ascend or descend during for ward flight, the control stick 41 is locked in central position by any suitable means suchas the lock indicated at 51. after which the .hand lever 40 may be moved and through the crank connection 52 of the lower end of this lever with the lower end portion 49 ofthe stick, the stick maybe moved vertically in its 'bear ing 50. thus raising or loweringthe spider 40 and through its connection with the several cables 44, raising or loweringthe ring 37 while said ring is held in a horizontal position. This vertical movement of the ring will operate through the connection of the arms 33 ,with the several cables running to the outer ends of the arms 6, to tilt the planes 1 simultaneously and to an equal degree and in the same direction.

All of the controls are therefore within easy reach of the aviator and the full load is car:

the wing at one side to the wing of the other side, keeping the two units in the same horizontal plane, the machine during forward flight, being controlled by the same means as when in vertical flight, and the machine being designed to operate substantially in the same manner as an ordinary aeroplane.

Obviously four units each comprising a wing and propellers, may be employed and may be connected in spaced apart relation and in relation to the other two units by means of forwardly and rearwardly extending arms similar to the arms 6, with the wings controlled by mechanism similar to that shown for controlling the two lateral spaced units. The control mechanism shown and described is merely illustrative of means which may be employed. and it is obvious that control mechanism other than that shown specifically in the drawings may be employed. It is further obvious that other changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a flying machine, the combination of widely spaced apart flying units each including an aerofoil and a propeller, rigid arms upon the outer ends of which said units are supported with said arms extending radially inward and downward therefrom and rig idly connected at their inner ends centrally between said units, power means carried by said arms adjacent their connected inner ends, and means for transmitting motion from said power means through said arms to drive said propellers.

2. A flying machine as characterized in claim 1, and including means within said arms for tilting said aerofoils, said aerofoils being pivotally supported upon the outer ends of said arms.

3. A flying machine as characterized in claim 1, and wherein each unit includes a shaft upon which the propeller of the unit is mounted with said shaft extending in a fore and aft direction and mounted in bearings on the aerofoil to tilt longitudinally with the tilting movement of the aerofoil.

4. A flying machine including wide] spaced apart flying units, each unit includ ing an acrofoil and a propeller, rigid hollow arms upon the outer ends of which said units are mounted. a casing to which the inner ends of the arms are rigidly secured with said casing located equidistant from each unit and below the horizontal plane of the two units, a fuselage connected to and positioned below said casing, said fuselage and easing being relatively rotatable, and means extending through said arms for transmitting motion to drive the propellers.

5. A flying machine as characterized in claim 4, and including power generating means within said casing and a turntable connection between said casing and fuselage forming a support for said power generating means.

6. A flying machine including widely spaced apart units each unit including an aerofoil and a propeller, tubular arms upon the outer ends of which said units are pivotally supported, a casing connecting the inner ends of said arms, a motor in said casing, means for transmitting motion from said motor, and extending outwardly through said tubular arms for driving said propellers, a fuselage connected to the casing and depending therefrom, said casing being rotatable upon said fuselage, control mechanism within said casing and extending outwardly through said tubular arms for tilting said aerofoils, and controls within the fuselage for controllingsaid mechanism.

7. In a flying machine, the combination of separate flying units, each unitincluding a wing and a propeller. rigid tubular arms upon the outer ends of which said units are supported for rigidly connecting the units and spacing the same apart. a casing rigidly connecting the inner ends of said arms, a fuselage having an upwardly extending rigid tubular member extending into said casing. a turntable connecting said casing and tubular member of the fuselage to permit said casing to rotate relative to the fuselage, a motor within the casing, means for transmitting motion from the motor and extending through said arms longitudinally thereof for driving said propellers, control mechanism within said casing and extending through said arms for operating said wings, said control mechanism being operative to tilt one wing in a direction opposite to that of the other wing, means for reversing the direction of rotation of one of the propellers, means for locking the fuselage and easing against relative rotation, controls within the fuselage for operating the control mechanism to tilt the wings simultaneously in the same direction or relatively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEX SERNA.

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